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COVID-19: Ditch ArriveCan app, border city mayors urge feds

Mayors of Niagara Falls, Sarnia say requiring visitors to Canada to submit health information ahead of time is discouraging cross-border travel
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A line of vehicles wait to enter Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. Border-city mayors, tourism industry leaders and an opposition MP say it’s time to bid a less-than-fond farewell to the ArriveCan app. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

WASHINGTON — Border-city mayors, tourism industry leaders and an opposition MP say it's time to bid a less-than-fond farewell to the ArriveCan app.

The mayors of Niagara Falls and Sarnia, Ont., say requiring visitors to Canada to submit their health information ahead of time is discouraging cross-border travel. 

New Democrat MP Richard Cannings, who has six border entry points in his sprawling southern B.C. riding, agrees that it's time to come up with a better plan. 

They say doing away with the app is especially urgent now that Ottawa is lifting the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for domestic and outbound international travel. 

Canadian and foreign visitors are still required to use the app or an online portal to submit their vaccination information to the Canada Border Services Agency ahead of time. 

The government also announced last week it would be suspending random testing at airports for vaccinated travellers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2022.

The Canadian Press